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On the hard in Papetee - Goodbye!
What Went Wrong!! (notes en route)
(Suggestions and After Thoughts in Bold)
Note: I am not really complaining. Everyone figures on one breakage per day. I averaged slightly less than that.
Note: I am not really complaining. Everyone figures on one breakage per day. I averaged slightly less than that.
1. Electric bilge pump shorted out completely and I cut it loose and chucked it overboard (replaced in Honolulu)
2. Flooded boat through bilge pump hose. Dumb, forgot to plug it after taking the pump out.
3. Windex wind indicator blew away. 52 knots and it was gone. Probably some silicone in screw would have avoided this.
4. Radar reflector slid down backstay. Trip up the mast and a C clamp.
2. Flooded boat through bilge pump hose. Dumb, forgot to plug it after taking the pump out.
3. Windex wind indicator blew away. 52 knots and it was gone. Probably some silicone in screw would have avoided this.
4. Radar reflector slid down backstay. Trip up the mast and a C clamp.
5. First main batten blew out back end. See write up on full battened mains on The Gear Page.
6. Anchor windless bolt sheered through and broken. See write up on The Gear Page.
7. Main anchor does not fit in chain locker. This where I hoped to store it in heavy weather. Ended up tied in v-berth.
8. Both V-berth shelves broke away. Loaded with stuff, the weight while heeled and pounding in waves day after day broke them loose from the wall. Not secured firmly at bulkhead between v-berth and head since I had repaired dry rot in bulkhead where chain plate attached. A) be sure shelf is secure and, B) don't overload.
9. Port baby stay fiddle block fell apart. Tighten en route and buy bigger heavier ones.
10. Rudder shows cracks at post. Chronic problem but rudder seems to be strong enough anyway. Fixed at each layover spot as it was a concern.
11. Rudder has some slack in movement. Turned out to be no problem
12. Port spinnaker sheet caught in prop docking in Honolulu but was cut OK. Thank goodness for the shaft cutter. See notes in The Gear Page.
13. Zinc's were torn off shaft. Just one of the things that happen when the shaft cutter works on a line. Dive and replace.
14. Electric Navico autohelm quit in light rain - first time. Was old and less quality then an Autohelm version.
15. Second batten blew out back.
16. Second Batten worked out forward.
17. Second batten worked out forward again and had to be abandoned.
18. Cape Horn wind vane steering lower bolt fell out twice in spite of tightening. Think it should have been tightened up sooner to avoid problem.
19. Port rub rail falling off several times until lashed on for fixing later. This from waves washing up on lee side for days and days. Saved it by lashing to rail and then epoxied it on in Papetee.
20. One slide of barbecue moved so barbecue falling off. Wire slides together.
21. Life ring holder loosened up and bolts sheered. Needs stronger mounting and since I was single handing, life ring seems like wishful thinking anyway.
22. Bimini top made without zipper going all the way across. This was part of my design but I should have had zipper going right across for main sheet clearance.
23. Bimini top zipper to dodger torn. Just one end so it still worked but more care needed in zipping and un-zipping.
24. Dodger - port side zipper screwed up.
25. Circ Ring in Main sheet fiddle caught in sheet and locked up system. It was stretched so the end caught in the sheet. Replace when stretched.
6. Anchor windless bolt sheered through and broken. See write up on The Gear Page.
7. Main anchor does not fit in chain locker. This where I hoped to store it in heavy weather. Ended up tied in v-berth.
8. Both V-berth shelves broke away. Loaded with stuff, the weight while heeled and pounding in waves day after day broke them loose from the wall. Not secured firmly at bulkhead between v-berth and head since I had repaired dry rot in bulkhead where chain plate attached. A) be sure shelf is secure and, B) don't overload.
9. Port baby stay fiddle block fell apart. Tighten en route and buy bigger heavier ones.
10. Rudder shows cracks at post. Chronic problem but rudder seems to be strong enough anyway. Fixed at each layover spot as it was a concern.
11. Rudder has some slack in movement. Turned out to be no problem
12. Port spinnaker sheet caught in prop docking in Honolulu but was cut OK. Thank goodness for the shaft cutter. See notes in The Gear Page.
13. Zinc's were torn off shaft. Just one of the things that happen when the shaft cutter works on a line. Dive and replace.
14. Electric Navico autohelm quit in light rain - first time. Was old and less quality then an Autohelm version.
15. Second batten blew out back.
16. Second Batten worked out forward.
17. Second batten worked out forward again and had to be abandoned.
18. Cape Horn wind vane steering lower bolt fell out twice in spite of tightening. Think it should have been tightened up sooner to avoid problem.
19. Port rub rail falling off several times until lashed on for fixing later. This from waves washing up on lee side for days and days. Saved it by lashing to rail and then epoxied it on in Papetee.
20. One slide of barbecue moved so barbecue falling off. Wire slides together.
21. Life ring holder loosened up and bolts sheered. Needs stronger mounting and since I was single handing, life ring seems like wishful thinking anyway.
22. Bimini top made without zipper going all the way across. This was part of my design but I should have had zipper going right across for main sheet clearance.
23. Bimini top zipper to dodger torn. Just one end so it still worked but more care needed in zipping and un-zipping.
24. Dodger - port side zipper screwed up.
25. Circ Ring in Main sheet fiddle caught in sheet and locked up system. It was stretched so the end caught in the sheet. Replace when stretched.
26. Cape Horn steering blocks broke loose as bolts sheared. Needs real strong bolts and blocks.
27. Cape Horn clam cleats did not work so had to replace at sea. Changed to cam cleats and OK.
28. Cushions - one small is opening up and two have piping out of line. Construction thread not heavy enough for constant abuse.
29. Yankee blocks - starboard side broken. Need bigger and stronger?
30. Staysail blocks too small and jamming. Need bigger and stronger.
31. Engine over heated twice. Overloaded and not set up for tropics.
32. Engine got air when tank low and stalled. Carry more fuel to keep tank up.
33. Head pump failed so had to rebuild. Just maintenance
34. Watermaker cannot work on port tack. Lesson learned.
35. Watermaker induced air lock in tank so had to move input hose. Needs to be low and separate.
36. Lifelines loosened and starboard one undid. Check them all the time.
37. Netting came loose. Heavier cord needed.
38. Jacklines to tight to start. Should be fairly slack.
39. Port Nav light torn off. This is what happens when jacklines too tight.
40. SSB antenna blown until it broke. Need heavier wire.
41. SSB replacement antenna loose and does not work. Poor insulator at radar arch end.
42. Jib halyard too tight to reef jib. Loosen with care.
43. Rain leaks in port berth. Should have tested fitting points better before departure.
44. Berth hatch needs to be slammed shut or it leaks in berth. A plastic rain shield would be nice.
45. Cape Horn Quadrant broke at 0200Z on Friday 18/7/97 at N0-95.6, W149-51.3 or 1103 miles north of Tahiti. Worked a bit for 5 hours longer then fell apart.
46. Old electric autohelm failed after 16 hours replacing Cape Horn. Why Me!
47. Lost all the bread I bought somehow while loading in Honolulu but did not notice until at sea. I never thought I would miss bread so much.
48. Staysail lost 3 piston hanks and had to be stored on 25/7/97. Need to work out how to keep more tension on inner forestay without pulling mast rake forward?
49. Nicotine patches do not stick to skin at all so having a fit over cigs all the time. Tough!
50. Third batten blew out of main at 400 miles out of Tahiti so even worse to set up self steering.
51. Next day found that when the batten went it went into the wind generator and all 3 blades have the ends off. High vibration at high wind speeds. Happy I installed off/on switch for wind generator.
52. Everything fixed in Papeete then regulator went on alternator in Moorea. Ample Power regulator the pits.
27. Cape Horn clam cleats did not work so had to replace at sea. Changed to cam cleats and OK.
28. Cushions - one small is opening up and two have piping out of line. Construction thread not heavy enough for constant abuse.
29. Yankee blocks - starboard side broken. Need bigger and stronger?
30. Staysail blocks too small and jamming. Need bigger and stronger.
31. Engine over heated twice. Overloaded and not set up for tropics.
32. Engine got air when tank low and stalled. Carry more fuel to keep tank up.
33. Head pump failed so had to rebuild. Just maintenance
34. Watermaker cannot work on port tack. Lesson learned.
35. Watermaker induced air lock in tank so had to move input hose. Needs to be low and separate.
36. Lifelines loosened and starboard one undid. Check them all the time.
37. Netting came loose. Heavier cord needed.
38. Jacklines to tight to start. Should be fairly slack.
39. Port Nav light torn off. This is what happens when jacklines too tight.
40. SSB antenna blown until it broke. Need heavier wire.
41. SSB replacement antenna loose and does not work. Poor insulator at radar arch end.
42. Jib halyard too tight to reef jib. Loosen with care.
43. Rain leaks in port berth. Should have tested fitting points better before departure.
44. Berth hatch needs to be slammed shut or it leaks in berth. A plastic rain shield would be nice.
45. Cape Horn Quadrant broke at 0200Z on Friday 18/7/97 at N0-95.6, W149-51.3 or 1103 miles north of Tahiti. Worked a bit for 5 hours longer then fell apart.
46. Old electric autohelm failed after 16 hours replacing Cape Horn. Why Me!
47. Lost all the bread I bought somehow while loading in Honolulu but did not notice until at sea. I never thought I would miss bread so much.
48. Staysail lost 3 piston hanks and had to be stored on 25/7/97. Need to work out how to keep more tension on inner forestay without pulling mast rake forward?
49. Nicotine patches do not stick to skin at all so having a fit over cigs all the time. Tough!
50. Third batten blew out of main at 400 miles out of Tahiti so even worse to set up self steering.
51. Next day found that when the batten went it went into the wind generator and all 3 blades have the ends off. High vibration at high wind speeds. Happy I installed off/on switch for wind generator.
52. Everything fixed in Papeete then regulator went on alternator in Moorea. Ample Power regulator the pits.
